Wet Brain Causes and Symptoms of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

The majority of deaths are caused by infections to the lungs, high blood toxicity, or permanent brain damage. Your physician may initially assess you to check for indicators of alcoholism and wet brain. These tests may include investigating your levels of blood alcohol. They may perform a function test on your liver to screen you for liver cirrhosis in some instances. As a consequence of alcohol abuse, your liver enzyme level can rise. Comprehensive addiction treatment is frequently necessary for alcoholics and chronic alcohol abusers. That’s what we offer to clients at the Discovery Institute for Addictive Disorders in New Jersey.

• The prognosis of this part of the disease will depend on when thiamine supplementation is prescribed to patients.
• As a joint problem, both of the syndromes that make up wet brain are extremely severe and should be dealt with as soon as possible in order for the individual to be able to avoid further, serious effects.
• While some effects of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome may be permanent, the best way to avoid further damage is to stop drinking safely, with professional help, and to embrace a life in recovery.
• This stage of wet brain lasts longer than Wernicke’s encephalopathy.
• Studies using rats found that transketolase activity may be reduced as much as 90 percent in the brain regions that are most sensitive to thiamine deficiency (Gibson et al. 1984).

Despite this, specific sub-populations seem to have higher prevalence rates including people who are homeless, older individuals , and psychiatric inpatients. Additionally, studies show that prevalence is not connected to alcohol consumption per capita. For example, in France, a country that is well known for its consumption and production of wine, prevalence was only 0.4% in 1994, while Australia had a prevalence of 2.8%. It is also one that Coloradans, in particular, should be concerned about. The state of Colorado has one of the highest death rates attributed to alcohol across the United States, and around 18 percent of the population engages in heavy drinking.

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Episodes of vomiting can also severely deplete the body of essential nutrients and vitamins, like Vitamin B1. People with alcohol use disorder may vomit more than someone without the disorder because hangovers and alcohol overdose and poisoning are much more likely to occur on a regular basis. Stage one is completely reversible, but only if it is treated immediately with Vitamin B1 injections. However, if it is left untreated, Wet Brain will progress to stage two, which is only partially reversible. Stage two (Korsakoff’s psychosis) can improve over time with Vitamin B1 and cessation of alcohol consumption, but it can never fully be reversed. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that approximately 80 to 90 percent of alcoholics with Wernicke’s encephalopathy will go on to develop Korsakoff’s psychosis.

Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are available at any time of day to answer your questions with the utmost compassion and professionalism.

How Does Drinking Cause Wet Brain Syndrome?

These conditions can cause Vitamin B-1 deficiency and thereby increase a person’s risk of developing this condition. Wet brain, or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, is caused by vitamin B1 deficiency. Thiamine is vital to many biological functions, and most importantly, it helps the body to convert food into energy. A thiamine deficiency can lead to a range of serious health complications if not corrected, as it can damage the thalamus and hypothalamus in the brain. Although heavy, compulsive drinking prevents people from eating healthy food, alcohol also prevents the body from absorbing thiamine and leeches it from the body. The liver naturally releases thiamine into the body in an active state.

• And if alcohol upsets a person’s stomach, this could trigger vomiting or loss of appetite — two other ways of depleting the body’s thiamine reserves.
• If this factor were defective, the final enzyme complex would be formed at a lower rate and would be unstable (Wang et al. 1997).
• Wernicke encephalopathy presents as the early symptoms of wet brain mentioned above, and it’s an acute, short-lived condition.
• People who abuse alcohol are at a greater risk of developing wet brain.
• Alcoholism is the most common cause of wet brain, though it is not the only one.

The symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy are for the most part treatable through injections of vitamin B1. By submitting this form you agree to terms of use and privacy policy of the website. The British neurologist Oliver Sacks describes case histories of some of his patients with the syndrome in the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat . A number of proposals have been put forth to fortify alcoholic beverages with thiamine to reduce the incidence of WKS among those heavily abusing alcohol.

How can WKS be Treated?

Once wet brain reaches the second stage, Korsakoff’s psychosis, patients experience a marked decrease in the ability to form new memories. People with Korsakoff’s psychosis may even fabricate stories to fill in gaps in their memory. Up to 90% of people with Wernicke’s encephalopathy will go on to develop Korsakoff’s psychosis. At its core, wet brain is a form of brain damage from severe, long-term alcohol abuse. In scientific terms, wet brain is called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and the condition is directly related to a deficiency of B1 vitamins or thiamine. If you are suffering from alcohol abuse, it’s important to take the necessary action in order to prevent wet brain symptoms from developing in your life. As we mentioned earlier, the symptoms of the final stages of wet brain are less likely to be treatable and can even be fatal.

People who abuse alcohol are at a greater risk of developing wet brain. Binge drinking, which is consuming four or more drinks in two hours for women and five or more drinks in two hours for men, can also lead to wet brain. Korsakoff’s syndrome is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms mimic other conditions, such as dementia Wet Brain from Alcoholism and Alzheimer’s disease. One of the most common forms of behavioral therapy that are used in treatment programs is cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is used in many treatment centers and rehabs to help patients better identify the triggers that may influence or cause them to use.

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy

As described, Korsakoff syndrome usually follows or accompanies Wernicke encephalopathy. If treated quickly, it may be possible to prevent the development of WKS https://ecosoberhouse.com/ with thiamine treatments. This treatment is not guaranteed to be effective and the thiamine needs to be administered adequately in both dose and duration.

A smaller percentage of patients experience a decrease in reaction time of the pupils to light stimuli and swelling of the optic disc which may be accompanied by retinal hemorrhage. Finally, the symptoms involving stance and gait occur in about 23% of patients and result from dysfunction in the cerebellum and vestibular system. Other symptoms that have been present in cases of WE are stupor, low blood pressure , elevated heart rate , as well as hypothermia, epileptic seizures and a progressive loss of hearing. There are two forms of wet brain syndrome called Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff psychosis. With Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a person will develop neurological symptoms because the brain is suffering from lesions that form from a lack of adequate thiamine. Mostly, these neurological symptoms are related to memory problems.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome Treatment for Wet Brain

But in affluent countries like the United States, it is most commonly attributed to alcohol abuse, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. And the true number of people who suffer from this disorder may be even higher, as some never seek treatment for it. Everyone’s experience with addiction is different, and a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment is not the answer. At Synergy Recovery, we treat you as an individual with unique needs. Our treatment approach uses a combination of medication and counseling. We work with you to build a treatment plan that will help you find the path to long-term recovery. If you are searching for help for an alcohol problem, there are a number of national and local resources that can help you or your loved one with whatever substance abuse problem that you are suffering from.

• The primary symptom of wet brain in the Wernicke’s stage is confusion and disorientation, which tends to develop over a period of a few days or weeks.
• Recognizing the symptoms of wet brain syndrome can be difficult since they are typically broad and common across other disorders.
• Also, excessive alcohol use could cause the body to have trouble processing food items properly.
• In short, wet brain is a condition brought on by a deficiency of thiamine, which is more commonly known as Vitamin B1.
• Thus, the thiamine–using enzymes play numerous vital roles in the functioning of cells, and particularly of neurons.

For example, a person in the Korsakoff’s psychosis stage of wet brain may begin to notice tachycardia or a more rapid heartbeat. They may also notice problems in their central nervous system and extremities, like hands and feet. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, we are here to offer nonjudgmental and professional care.Contact usto schedule an appointment and get the help you need.

The End Stage of Wet Brain Syndrome

For these individuals, the only way to prevent the tragic consequences of wet brain and other alcohol-related illnesses and injuries is to abstain from drinking and choose a life of sobriety. The answer to this question depends on how far the condition has progressed.